'l-WiQ, 

:^C4  <nji$ 


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in  2016 


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THE  MEN  OE  INDIA 


AND  CEYLON 


BY 

EDWARD  C.  CARTER 

GENERAL  SECRETARY,  INDIAN  NATIONAL 
COUNCIL 


New  York 

Foreign  Department,  International  Committee 
Young  Men’s  Christian  Associations 
1908 


THIRD  TRIENNIAL  ASSOCIATION  CONVENTION  FOR  INDIA,  BURMA  AND  CEYLON 


The  Men  of  India  and  Ceylon 


It  was  in  one  of  the  smaller  Indian  stations  that  a leading 
Hindu  remarked  with  sincerity:  “Many  of  our  people  are  at- 

tracted by  the  purity  of  the  teachings  of  your  sacred  writings, 
but  the  attainment  of  a pure  life  seems  just  as  difficult  for  the 
Christian  as  for  the  Hindu.  Of  the  half  dozen  European 
Christians  in  this  town,  five  are  leading-  lives  as  purely  animal 
as  the  most  sensual  rajah  in  the  province;  the  sixth,  the 
‘padre  sahib,"  leads  a pure  life  and  one  of  great  sacrifice,  but 
his  life  does  not  reflect  credit  on  your  religion,  for  I under- 
stand that  the  missionaries  are  hired  on  the  understanding 
that  they  live  above  suspicion.'"  The  missionary  knows  no 
sadder  sight  than  that  of  the  British  soldier  or  the  American 
seaman  (who  to  the  native  is,  of  course,  a “Christian”) 
staggering  intoxicated  from  an  Oriental  brothel,  a jeering- 
crowd  of  coolies  at  his  heels.  After  his  sojourn  abroad 
Tommy  Atkins  sings: 

“Ship  me  somewheres  east  of  Suez,  where  the  best  is  like  the 
worst. 

Where  there  aren't  no  Ten  Commandments,  an’  a man  can 
raise  a thirst." 

And  not  only  a thirst  for  whiskey,  but  a fiery,  demon-like 
thirst  for  long  nights  of  reveling  after  the  scorching  days;  a 
thirst  for  that  thrilling  recklessness  of  absolute  self-abandon- 
ment which  creeps  over  him  with  the  thought  that  winding 
lanes,  green  fields  and  happy  kindred  are  leagues  and  leagues 
away  and  he  is  unnoticed  and  alone. 

If  the  Young  Men's  Chris- 
tian Association  is  needed  in 
North  America,  where  the 
restraints  of  home  and  church  and  society  are  numerous  and 
alert,  it  is  thrice  needed  for  the  European  (in  India  all  white 


If  Here  Then  There 


3 


men  whether  American  or  British  are  classed  as  Europeans)  in 
a land  where  wholesome  ideas  are  not  all-pervading — where  the 
everyday  religious  exercises  of  the  common  people  are  loath- 
some rather  than  uplifting,  sensual  rather  than  inspiring.  In 
India  homesickness,  the  depressing  environment  of  low  stan- 
dards, an  almost  universal  ignorance  and  a widespread  servility 
combine  to  undermine  even  the  strongest  characters.  With 
great  wisdom  large  sums  of  money  are  being  spent  by  Christian 


VIEW  OF  CALCUTTA  FROM  THE  COLLEGE  BRANCH  BUILDING 

people  on  mission  work  in  India.  The  godless,  careless  lives 
of  Europeans  are  conceded  to  be  obstacles  to  the  largest  suc- 
cess. It  is  apparent  that  in  order  to  safeguard  these  gen- 
erous investments,  money  and  energy  must  be  used  in  throw- 
ing about  the  European  young  men  influences  which  make 
for  righteousness.  If  the  Scottish  employer  of  hundreds  of 
Indian  laborers  is  a man  of  low  morals,  his  example  will  raise 
impassable  barriers  to  the  influence  of  the  missionary  in  the 
same  district. 


4 


In  the  large  cities  of  India 
the  Association  aims  to 
equip  modern  buildings 
with  the  usual  features  of  the  best  Xorth  American  Associa- 
tions. One  of  the  most  fruitful  of  these  is  provision  for  “a  home 
away  from  home.”  Most  of  the  boarding  houses  and  hotels  are 
unattractive;  worse  than  this,  they  are  frequently  centers  of 
gambling  and  intemperance.  The  “chummery,”  where  a 
group  of  fellows  club  together,  hire  their  own  butler  and  keep 
bachelor  quarters  is  an  effort  to  realize  a more  homelike  life. 
Even  the  chummeries  are  honeycombed  with  temptation  for  the 
lad  just  landed  from  the  homeland.  When  the  Imperial  census 
was  being  taken  in  Rangoon,  at  a house  where  a half  dozen 
young  business  men  were  living,  one  of  the  servants  without 
hesitation  stated  that  he  was  the  procurer  for  the  house.  So 
faulty  has  been  the  standard  in  European  society  that  when  a 
retired  officer,  whom  the  whole  city  knew  had  kept  a mistress 
in  his  house  for  years,  was  influenced  by  a friend  to  do  the 
right  thing  and  marry,  he  was  blackballed  in  the  club,  and  at 
once  completely  ostracized  from  society  because  he  had  mar- 
ried such  a woman. 

Because  the  first  few 
months  so  often  determine 
a man's  destiny  in  India 
we  make  it  possible  for  new  arrivals  to  come  to  the  Associa- 
tion boarding  house,  live  there  for  six  months  or  so,  and  when 
they  have  made  the  acquaintance  of  strong,  clean  friends, 
they  move  out  and  make  way  for  others  fresh  from  home.  Two 
young  Scots  landed  by  the  same  steamer  to  join  a firm  in  one 
of  the  great  port  cities;  one  was  persuaded  to  live  at  the 
Association;  the  other  went  to  a chummery  because  he  said 
he  wanted  to  get  on  fast  and  so  must  get  in  with  “the 
crowd”  from  the  start.  The  first,  through  the  influence  of 
the  Association,  was  led  to  a personal  knowledge  of  the 
Saviour,  joined  the  Church  and  to-day,  as  the  head  of  the  de- 
partment, is  one  of  the  most  powerful  forces  for  righteousness 


A Right  Start 


“ Chummeries' ’ 


in  the  city.  The  other  did  get  on  “fast,”  but  in  another 
direction;  his  passions  became  his  master.  When  it  was  too 
late  he  pleaded  to  be  taken  into  the  Association  boarding 
house.  His  firm  had  already  booked  his  passage  home  and 
thither  he  went,  one  of  the  sad  bits  of  wreckage  that  line  the 
triumphant  course  of  modern  commercialism. 

If  this  world-wide  expansion  of  trade  is  to  bring  the  largest 
good,  the  business  men  of  Christendom  must  invest  largely  in 
the  Association’s  effort,  not  merely  to  make  men  cleaner  and 
fitter  for  the  day's  work.  They  must  be  turned  into  such 
loyal  believers  in  the  expansion  of  the  teachings  of  Christ  that 
they  shall  use  their  unique  influence  as  men  of  affairs  to 
strengthen  and  make  even  more  effective  the  splendid  work 
of  the  missionaries. 

The  Association  is  not  in 
India  and  Ceylon,  however, 
primarily  to  save  Europeans 
from  themselves.  The  most  urgent  cry  has  been  that  of  the 
crisis  among  educated  Indians.  It  has  long  been  the  policy  of 
Britain  to  throw  upon  the  Indian  people  as  much  responsibility 
as  possible  for  the  administration  of  the  Government.  Of  144,- 
150  appointments  holding  *Rs.  1,000  annually,  ninety-seven 
per  cent  are  filled  by  the  natives  of  India  themselves.  To  fit  the 
Indian,  who  has  been  used  to  a feudal  order,  to  have  a part  in 
this  well-nigh  democratic  administration  of  affairs,  requires  a 
modern  and  Western  education.  Following  the  lead  of  the 
missionaries,  who  have  ever  been  the  pioneers  of  education, 
Britain  has  built  up  a splendid  system  of  schools  and  colleges. 
There  are  180  colleges  for  men  in  the  Empire,  and  the  Govern- 
ment has  great  universities  at  Calcutta,  Madras,  Bombay, 
Lahore  and  Allahabad.  The  Indian  student  of  to-day  works 
almost  wholly  in  the  English  language,  and  takes  up  about 
the  same  subjects  as  the  English  lad  at  Eton  and  Oxford. 
What  must  be  the  influence  of  a handful  of  college  trained 

*A  rupee  equals  one-third  of  a dollar. 


The  Primary  Task 


6 


BRAHMAN  PRIEST  OR  “ HOLY  ” MAN 


men  in  a land  where  only  12  per  cent  of  the  male  population 
can  read!  These  students  are  to  be  leaders  of  the  nation. 
As  magistrates,  revenue  officers,  judges,  lawyers,  inspectors 
of  traffic  and  trade — replacing  the  rajahs  and  ancient  princes — 
they  will  have  supreme  influence  in  village  and  district. 

During  schooldays  the  new 
knowledge  of  the  Occident 
is  hardly  assimilated.  The 
boy  still  remains  devoted  to  the  superstitious  religious  ob- 
servance of  his  home.  In  an  out  of  the  way  town  I once  saw 
a high  school  boy,  just  out  from  recitations,  his  books  under 
his  arm,  starting  down  the  street  for  home.  He  saw  a 
Brahman  approaching;  kneeling,  he  laid  his  Shakespeare  on 
the  ground,  and  with  his  hands  wiped  the  dust  from  the 
dirty  bare  feet  of  the  Brahman  and  then  drew  his  hands  over 


Shattering  Idols 


his  forehead  and  eyes — because  the  very  dust  from  the  holy 
man's  feet  was  purifying  to  him. 

When  he  leaves  school,  however,  and  goes  up  to  the  great 
university,  for  the  first  time  he  begins  to  appreciate  the  learn- 
ing- of  the  West.  The  modern  commercial  spirit  is  every- 
where evident.  On  the  train  en  route  from  home  he  travels 
in  a modern  car.  At  every  side  station  he  notices  Eurasian 
officials,  hustling  holy  Brahmans  and  coolie  outcasts  into  the 
same  seat.  Arriving  at  his  destination,  Madras,  Calcutta  or 
Bombay,  he  is  thunderstruck  by  the  maze  of  trolley  cars,  the 
telegraphs,  automobiles,  great  department  stores,  magnificent 
hotels,  parks  and  boidevards.  An  air  of  scorn  for  anything 
that  savors  of  the  old  village  worship  pervades  the  college 
lecture  room.  The  “Holi,”  which  used  to  bring  merriment 
as  a boy,  now  appears  as  one  of  the  most  obscenely  disgusting 
of  religious  observances.  Features  of  the  Mahurram,  which 
used  to  seem  harmless  enough,  he  now  taboos  as  the 
fanaticism  of  the  ignorant  crowd.  In  a word,  the  scales  are 
falling  from  his  eyes.  The  old  implicit  faith  in  Hinduism  has 
vanished;  with  this  discovery  comes  lack  of  faith  in  good. 
Far  better  that  he  be  held  by  his  parents'  religion  than  pass 
through  the  critical  college  days  and  on  into  life  without  any 
religion  at  all.  There  is  a sad  irony  in  the  college,  that  by  its 
Western  teaching  shatters  the  student's  faith  in  his  ancestral 
rites  and  at  the  same  time  is  unable  (because  it  is  a Govern- 
ment institution)  to  give  a knowledge  of  the  one  religion 
which  will  be  satisfying. 

The  naked  facts  from  the 
census  tables  are  un- 
answerable appeals  for  the 
establishment  of  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations.  Ac- 
cording to  the  last  census  in  Calcutta,  in  Ward  Five,  with  a 
population  of  49,069,  one  woman  in  every  four  and  in  Ward 
Six,  with  a total  population  of  52,968,  one  woman  in  every 
five  is  a sister  of  shame.  One  of  the  most  trustworthy 
sociologists  in  Calcutta  has  written  thus:  “I  have  often  been 


Vice  Rampant 


8 


amazed  at  the  bold 
effrontery  that  char- 
acterizes the  evil. 

Not  content  with 
seeking  the  seclu- 
sion impurity  loves, 
we  have  long  streets 
no  respectable  man 
or  woman  cares  to 
walk.  Even  main 
thoroughfares  are 
given  up,  it  would 
seem,  to  the  mem- 
bers of  what  the 
census  volume  calls 
a ‘disreputable  pro- 
fession.' Parts  of 
Chitpore  road,  Corn- 
wallis street.  College  street,  Amherst  street.  Corporation 
street — all  streets  of  importance  with  an  enormous  daily  traffic 
— are  the  visible  haunts  of  hundreds  of  women  and  children  of 
ill  fame.  And  Sodom  itself  could  not  have  furnished  a more 
terrible  picture,  in  its  significance  rather  than  in  its  indecency, 
than  can  be  witnessed  by  any  one  who  betakes  himself  to  the 
quarters  where  the  evil  has  segregated  itself.  Truly  the  evil 
is  obtrusive,  nay,  even  defiant."’ 

The  Association  is  in  India 
at  the  call  of  the  mis- 
sionaries who  represent  the 
Christian  Church.  It  was  in  1887  that  Dr.  Jacob  Chamber- 
lain  of  India  came  to  Northfield  to  urge  the  claims  of  that 
land  upon  the  Young  Men’s  Christian  Association.  In  1888, 
the  missionaries  of  the  evangelical  churches  of  Madras  sent  an 
appeal  to  the  International  Committee,  asking  that  a secre- 
tary be  sent  to  their  city.  The  International  Convention, 
which  met  in  Philadelphia  in  1889,  authorized  the  appoint- 


C ailed  by  the  Church 


9 


merit  of  a secretary  to  work  in  Madras.  Mr.  David  Mc- 
Conaughy,  the  general  secretary  at  Philadelphia,  sailed  in 
October,  1889.  No  more  striking  testimony  to  the  work  has 
been  presented  than  a resolution  passed  at  the  Decennial 
Missionary  Conference  in  Madras  in  1 902,  which  was  the  most 
representative  gathering  of  missionaries  ever  held  in  India;  all 
the  Protestant  societies  sent  their  ablest  leaders.  The  resolu- 
tion reads  as  follows: 

“The  Conference  hereby  records  its  hearty  and  thorough 
appreciation  of  the  work  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation in  India,  Burma  and  Ceylon.  The  Conference  com- 
mends its  general  principles  and  methods,  and  affectionately 
accords  to  those  engaged  in  its  work  its  prayers  and  fellow- 
ship, and  emphasizes  the  strong  claim  which  the  Young 
Men’s  Christian  Association  work  in  India  has  already  estab- 
lished upon  the  prayers,  sympathy  and  support  of  the  home 
churches.” 

Now  that  at  last  the  obli- 
gation has  been  assumed, 
there  is  nothing  ahead  but 
increasing  energy  and  sacrifice.  Let  this  not  appear  as  a mere 
side  issue  in  the  work  of  the  home  Associations.  Unless  we 
spring  into  the  fray  with  our  best  men  backed  by  most  gen- 
erous resources,  the  North  American  Associations  will  have 
failed  to  discharge  their  duty  to  the  Church  of  Christ.  The 
missionaries  who  have  bade  us  do  this  work  are  the  ambassa- 
dors of  the  home  Church  which  every  Association  aims  to 
serve. 

The  same  principles  underlie  the  Association  work  at  home 
and  abroad.  The  Indian  student,  like  his  cousins  across  the 
seas,  has  a body,  a mind  and  a soul.  Our  largest  Associa- 
tions have  well-equipped  gymnasiums.  Much  attention  is 
given  to  out-of-door  recreation.  Association  teams  have  stood 
high  in  public  athletic  contests.  The  occasions  for  social  in- 
tercourse are  doing  much  to  establish  the  idea,  so  foreign  to 
India,  of  a universal  brotherhood.  The  public  restaurant  and 


iVot  a Side  Issue 


10 


lunch  counter  lias  been  potent  in  breaking  down  the  artificial 
restrictions  of  caste  and  racial  jealousy. 

The  department  which  tow- 
ers above  all  others  is  that 
of  religious  work.  To 
many  a student,  doubting  his  own  religion,  we  have  been 
able  to  open  the  Bible  for  the  first  time.  Bible  classes,  per- 
sonal work,  lectures  on  Christianity  and  preaching  in  the  open 
air  to  great  audiences  of  college  men  are  means  used  effectively. 
Many  come  from  curiosity  and  some  to  hear  correct  English, 
but  others  come  in  earnestness  to  discover  the  way  of  life. 
Appeals  to  lecture  on  Christianity  have  come  to  us  from  col- 
leges where  there  was  not  a single  Christian  student.  In  one 
college,  after  I had  spoken  without  compromise  on  the  supre- 
macy of  Christianity,  the  Hindu  students  and  professors  waited 
on  me  in  a body,  begging  me  to  remain  with  them  a solid 
fortnight. 

Bible  study  is  conspicuous  among  Association  activities,  for 
the  teaching  of  the  Scriptures  is  the  prime  thing  that  we  have 
to  give.  During  the  last  year  the  number  of  young  men  in 
Association  Bible  classes  increased  from  2,300  to  3,010.  One 
hundred  and  forty-eight  young  men  were  reported  in  1906  to 
have  joined  Christian  churches  as  a result  of  the  Association's 
influence.  With  an  exceedingly  inadequate  staff  of  secre- 
taries we  are  touching  the  fringe  only  of  the  real  opportunity. 

Calcutta  is  the  leading  stu- 
dent center;  in  its  colleges 
are  registered  more  men 
than  in  Harvard,  Yale,  Princeton,  and  Chicago.  Besides  the 
10,000  university  students  there  are  upwards  of  30,000  boys  in 
the  great  high  schools  of  Calcutta.  Within  a mile  of  86  Col- 
lege street — the  student  and  boys'  buildings — there  are  7,000 
University  men  and  10,000  high  school  boys.  The  Association 
conducts  two  hostels  or  boarding  clubs  and  maintains  numer- 
ous Bible  classes,  lectures  and  religious  meetings.  Open  air 
services  are  frequently  held,  attended  largely  by  students. 


Met r op  olita n Models 


The  Dynamics 


ii 


BUILDING— COLOME 


Adjoining  the  college  branch  is  the  Boys’  building,  given  by 
Mr.  Wanamaker.  The  well-equipped  gymnasium  is  an  abso- 
lutely unique  thing  among  Indian  schoolboys.  The  Central 
branch,  in  the  business  section  of  the  city,  is  working  for 
Europeans  and  is  paying  all  expenses,  including  the  salary  of 
the  secretary.  Another  vigorous  branch  is  maintained  among 
the  Eurasians  which  promises  to  become  the  largest  in  the 
city. 

Madras  is  the  metropolis,  capital,  social  and  educational 
center  of  a Presidency  more  populous  than  the  British  Isles. 
In  this  city,  to  which  millions  turn  for  their  standard  of  civil- 
ization, the  Association  is  becoming  an  increasing  force  for 
righteousness.  Within  the  splendid  building  on  the  Esplanade 
600  members  are  being  influenced  in  the  direction  of  Christ's 
conception  of  manhood.  Caste  is  being  destroyed  among  the 


12 


NATION  —FIELD  DAY 


sixty  residents  (twelve  races)  of  the  hostel  and  the  many  more 
restaurant  patrons  who  eat  together — Mohammedans,  Parsees, 
Hindus  and  Christians.  For  several  years  its  business  and 
technical  courses  have  led  the  Presidency  in  the  number  of 
students  who  made  the  Government  examinations.  The  phy- 
sical department  is  leading  men  to  supplement  the  reflective 
Indian  life  with  an  appreciation  and  possession  of  the  physique 
demanded  by  modern  conditions.  Without  devices  inquiring 
Hindus  fill  the  Bible  classes,  limited  in  number  and  duration 
only  by  the  endurance  of  the  available  teaching  force.  Busi- 
ness men  are  being  won  to  Christian  faith  and  to  belief  in  the 
whole  missionary  enterprise.  These  activities  involve  a budget 
of  Rs.  8,000,  exclusive  of  rentals,  raised  in  Madras,  and  their 
direction  taxes  the  time  and  energy  of  one  foreign  and  three 
Indian  secretaries.  North  American  secretaries  are  also  in 


13 


V 


ESPLANADE,  MADRAS 


Colombo,  Allahabad,  Jamalpur  and  Bangalore,  while  Britain 
has  representatives  in  Bombay,  Simla,  Rangoon  and  Lahore. 

Reeently  a new  type  of 
work  in  the  Orient  has 
been  begun,  namely,  for 
railroad  men.  India  has 
extensive  railways,  aggre- 
gating "28,000  miles,  with  about  125  division  points,  making 
this  land  the  fourth  in  the  world  in  mileage.  Most  of  these 
lines  are  owned  by  the  Government.  Three  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  men  are  employed.  The  men  in  the  higher  grades 
of  the  service  speak  English,  though  only  5,300  are  Europeans. 
Three  years  ago  the  home  Associations  sent  out  Mr.  E.  J. 
Michel  to  study  the  railway  field  in  India.  All  the  principal 
railways  were  visited  and  the  social,  physical,  intellectual  and 
spiritual  needs  were  studied.  A report  was  submitted  to  the 
Government  Railway  Board,  who  recommended  that  an  experi- 
mental Association  be  started  at  Jamalpur,  the  headquarters 


Work  for 
Railway  Men 


14 


of  the  largest  Indian  railway.  The  Mechanics’  Institute,  the 
Gymkhana,  the  Swimming  Bath  Club  and  the  Apprentice 
Engineers'  Club  all  voted  to  disband  and  to  be  reorganized  as 
departments  of  the  Railway  Association.  Of  the  success  of 
the  experiment  the  chief  official  at  Jamalpur  writes  as  follows: 
“In  the  Railway  Young  Men’s  Christian  Association,  after  an 
experience  of  twenty-nine  years  among  the  railway  folk  in 
India,  I have  found  an  organization  which  has  it  in  its  power 


RAILWAY  YARDS,  JAMALPUR 

to  supply  some  of  the  most  pressing  needs  of  the  daily  life  of 
the  Indian  railway  man.  I have  known  Jamalpur  now  for  a 
period  extending  over  twenty-six  years  and  been  closely 
associated  with  its  gradual  development.  The  past  year  has 
been  the  most  active  in  its  history  from  four  points  of  view — 
social,  educational,  spiritual  and  physical,  which  are  all  invari- 
ably comprised  in  the  work  of  the  Association." 


15 


In  spite  of  great  obstacles 
and  serious  undermanning, 
the  movement  is  showing 
steady  numerical  growth.  After  scarcely  fifteen  years  of  effort 
there  are  now  over  100  Associations  in  India,  with  a member- 
ship exceeding  8,000.  In  the  same  period  the  Association 
property  has  increased  from  §11,000  to  §4-50,000.  Three  years 
ago  there  was  but  one  native  on  the  staff  of  the  Indian  Na- 
tional Council,  which  is  the  supervisory  committee  for  India, 
Burma  and  Ceylon,  to-day  there  are  five;  three  years  ago  the 
total  number  of  young  men  enrolled  in  Bible  study  classes  was 
1,880,  at  present  there  are  over  3,000;  in  1904-  the  budget  of 
the  National  Council  was  §2,000,  in  1908  it  will  exceed  §8,000; 
in  1906  seventy-one  Associations  expended  §60,000  for  current 
expenses.  There  are  now  forty-eight  Association  libraries 
with  forty-two  thousand  volumes,  thirty-two  Associations  pro- 
vide football,  twenty-six  cricket,  and  fourteen  hockey.  There 
are  forty-five  tennis  courts.  During  the  two  years,  1905  and 
1906,  the  number  of  Indian  secretaries  increased  from  nine  to 
seventeen.  The  total  membership  of  the  Associations  in- 
creased thirteen,  and  the  enrolment  in  Bible  study  thirty-two 
per  cent.  In  1907  five  student  conferences,  or  camps,  similar 
to  Northfield  and  Lake  Geneva,  were  held  in  different  parts 
of  the  country. 

There  are  results,  not  only 
in  statistics  of  attendance 
in  gymnasiums,  reading 
rooms  and  Bible  classes,  but  also  of  Hindus  who  have  left  all 
to  follow  Christ.  There  are  no  mass  movements  among  the 
students;  for  this  reason  the  individual  decision  is  all  the  more 
significant.  A Brahman  student,  after  three  years’  residence 
in  an  Association  hostel,  decided  that  he  could  only  serve  his 
country  the  most  fully  by  becoming  a Christian.  It  meant 
torture,  starving,  threatening  and  final  disinheritance.  But 
he  forsook  all,  remained  staunch  and  is  to-day  a tower  of 
strength  among  his  fellows.  Our  Saviour’s  word  that  a man's 


Untabirfated  Results 


Facts  of  Progress 


16 


ONE  OF  FIVE  STUDENT  CAMPS 


foes  shall  be  those  of  his  own  household  is  being  constantly 
illustrated.  The  fibre  of  some  of  the  young  Indian  converts 
would  do  credit  to  the  young  men  of  any  land. 

A year  ago  I was  traveling- 
from  Calcutta  up  to  Allaha- 
bad. Half  way  up  the  line 
a Brahman  gentleman  entered  the  car.  We  engaged  in  con- 
versation. At  length  I brought  him  to  his  attitude  toward 
Christianity.  He  soon  inquired  if  I knew  anything  about  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association.  With  a good  deal  of 
pride  he  told  me  that  his  son,  a medical  student  in  Calcutta, 
was  living  in  the  Association  hostel  (boarding  house).  “ Has 
he  no  Brahman  relatives  in  the  city  with  whom  he  could  live?'' 
I asked.  “Don't  you  know  that  in  the  Association  hostel  he 
is  daily  eating  with  low  caste  Hindus,  with  Mohammedans  and 
with  Christians,  and  so  losing  his  caste?”  “Yes,”  he  said, 


Caste  or  Character 


IT 


“there  are  Brahman  relatives  he  might  live  with  and  they 
have  been  anxious  to  have  him,  but  I would  much  rather  have 
him  live  at  the  Association  and  lose  his  caste  but  keep  his 
character,  than  have  him  live  with  the  holy  relatives,  adhere 
to  the  forms  of  caste,  but  lose  his  character.”  Indian  parents 
are  quick  to  realize  what  is  beneficial  to  their  sons.  In  the 
great  cities  there  are  none  who  understand  more  vividly  than 
the  educated  men  that  India’s  only  moral  hope  lies  in  the 
teachings  of  the  gospel. 

Our  aim  is  not  to  undertake 
all  this  work  ourselves. 
The  great  bulk  of  Indian 
young  men  can  only  be 
evangelized  by  Indian 
young  men.  We  are  building  up  strong  Associations  at 
pivotal  points  to  be  examples  to  an  entire  community,  and  to 
serve  as  training  schools  to  the  large  numbers  of  3roung  men 
on  whom  will  rest  ultimately  the  entire  burden.  It  is  apparent 
that  a high  standard  must  be  set.  We  must  have  a force  of 
secretaries  at  all  these  places  sufficient  not  only  to  carry  on  the 
daily  routine  of  an  all-round  Association;  they  must  have  a 
large  amount  of  time  to  give  to  teaching,  training  and  inspir- 
ing strong  men  to  lead  the  Indian  Christian  forces.  Largely 
through  the  influence  of  one  of  our  splendid  native  secretaries 
two  significant  movements  have  been  organized  by  which 
Indian  laymen  are  rallying  to  the  evangelization  of  India  as 
never  before.  One  of  these  societies,  the  Indian  Missionary 
Society,  of  Tinnevelly,  of  which  Mr.  Azariah  is  general  secre- 
tary, has  sent  out  four  of  their  own  young  men  as  missionaries 
into  another  language  area,  a thousand  miles  away.  These 
missionaries  in  the  past  four  years  have  secured  seven  native 
associates,  forty-one  baptized  adherents  and  two  hundred  and 
thirty-one  catechumens.  The  second  society,  the  National 
Missionary  Society  of  India,  has  received  the  cordial  support 
of  Indian  Christians  of  every  Protestant  denomination.  From 
every  province  and  city  of  India  financial  contributions  have 


By  Indians 
For  Indians 


18 


been  received.  A large  unoccupied  territory  in  the  Punjab 
has  been  selected  as  the  first  mission  field,  and  the  first 
missionary  is  a graduate  of  the  Punjab  University  and  of 
St.  John’s  Divinity 
School.  He  volun- 
teered for  this  field 
when  attending  the 
World’s  Student 
Christian  Federa- 
tion Conference  at 
Tokyo.  In  the  theo- 
logical seminary  at 
Insein,  Burma, 
about  one-fourth  of 
all  the  students  are 
volunteers  prepar- 
ing to  turn  a deaf 
ear  to  the  pastor- 
ates in  their  home 
churches  in  order  to 
go  into  far  districts 
among  strange  peo- 
ples of  different 
tongues  as  foreign 
missionaries  of  the 
Church  in  Burma. 


SIR  HARNAM  SINGH, 

CHAIRMAN  INDIAN  NATIONAL  COUNCIL 

The  Christian  Church  in 
India  has  claims  on  the 
Church  in  the  West  as 
never  before.  Turn  to  the 
Imperial  census.  The 
native  Protestant  Christian  community  in  1891  was  59-2,355; 
in  1901  it  was  970,421,  an  increase  of  63.8  per  cent.  Accord- 
ing to  the  most  reliable  statistics  the  native  Protestant  Chris- 
tian population  in  India  (excluding  Burma)  in  1851  was  91,092; 


Increase  of 
Christianity 


19 


in  1901  it  was  871,991,  showing  the  almost  unbelievable  in- 
crease of  857.2  per  cent.  The  careful  student  of  history  bases 
his  belief  on  the  ultimate  triumph  of  Christianity  in  India  not 
so  much  on  these  statistics,  striking  though  they  seem,  but  on 
the  remarkable  similarity  in  the  conditions  of  the  ancient 
Homan  world  and  those  existing  in  India  to-day.  Christianity 
is  working  in  India  to-day  precisely  in  the  same  way  as  it 
worked  in  the  Roman  Empire.  It  is  not  often  that  invest- 
ments give  such  a large  and,  best  of  all,  such  a soul-satisfying 
return. 


SHERWOOD  EDDY  ON  AN  EVANGELISTIC 
ITINERARY 


The  president  of  the  Cal- 
cutta Association  is  Sir 
Andrew  Fraser,  the  gov- 
ernor of  the  province  of  Bengal.  The  treasurer  is  the  head  of 
the  largest  steamship  company  in  Asia.  The  honorary  presi- 
dent of  the  Rangoon  Association  is  the  Lord  Bishop;  the 
president  is  a justice  of  the  High  Court.  The  president  at 
Bombay,  the  Honorable  H.  E.  E.  Proctor,  is  the  head  of  the 
largest  commercial  firm  in  the  city,  president  of  the  chamber 


High  Recognition 


20 


of  commerce  and  a member  of  the  governor's  council.  In 
Allahabad  the  Association's  honorary  president  is  the  Honor- 
able Sir  John  Stanley,  the  chief  justice  of  the  United  Prov- 
inces, and  the  president  is  the  commissioner  of  the  Allahabad 
district.  Colombo's  president  is  a justice  of  the  Ceylon  chief 
court,  and  the  vice  president  is  the  Honorable  Mr.  John 
Ferguson,  C.  M.  G.,  the  editor  of  the  leading  newspaper  of 
the  colony.  The  president  at  Hyderabad  is  the  mayor  of  the 
city;  at  Simla,  the  legislative  secretary  to  the  Government  of 
India;  at  Naini  Tal,  a British  colonel;  at  Bangalore,  the 
Honorable  Mr.  Stuart  Fraser,  C.  I.  Ii.,  the  political  resident 
for  the  native  state  of  Mysore.  These  men  and  many  others 
are  not  figure-heads.  For  example,  the  auditor  of  one  of  the 
largest  railways  in  India  spends  on  an  average  over  an  hour  a 
day  as  treasurer  of  the  local  Association.  The  head  of  the 
leading  law  firm  in  Calcutta  in  the  recent  financial  canvass 
secured  over  $8,000  in  subscriptions  from  various  business 
men  on  whom  he  called. 

Even  more  significant  is  the 
approval  shown  by  the 
Government  itself.  T h e 
Government  of  Burma  sold  the  Association  a building  site 
valued  at  $33,000  for  $10,000,  to  be  paid  without  interest  in 
ten  annual  instalments.  Besides  this  they  made  a cash  grant 
toward  the  building  of  $"2,500.  In  Calcutta,  besides  making 
a grant  of  $14,000  toward  the  support  of  the  college  branch, 
the  Government  of  Bengal  is  now  making  a yearly  grant  of 
$800  to  the  work  of  the  various  branches  and  has  promised  an 
additional  grant  of  $920  annually  as  soon  as  a physical  director 
is  appointed.  Within  the  past  month  the  Government  of 
Bengal  has  made  a grant  of  $12,000  toward  the  work  of  the 
Central  branch.  The  Bombay  Association  has  recently  re- 
ceived a grant  of  $1,000  for  their  library.  Nagpur  received  a 
grant  of  $1,330  toward  their  building's  total  cost  of  $5,000. 
Government  grants  for  current  expenses  to  the  several  Asso- 
ciations amount  to  nearly  Its.  1,000  per  month. 


Government  Favor 


21 


FORTY  BIBLE  CLASSES— ENROLMENT  THREE  HUNDRED 


‘ 'A  nyvchere.  Provided 
It  be  Forward 


It  is  not  with  hesitancy 
that  the  movement  in 
India  appeals  to  the  North 
American  Associations.  It 
is  their  creation  — it  has 


been  called  into  being-  by  the  missionaries  of  the  Church.  It 
is  reaching  Europeans  of  power  in  large  numbers.  It  is  in- 
fluencing Indian  young  men  all  over  the  Empire  to  go  into 
Government  positions  and  professional  life,  servants  not  of 
themselves,  but  of  their  fellow  men  and  of  the  Most  High.  It 
is  influencing  some  of  the  choicest  of  these  to  give  their  lives 
to  Association  and  missionary  work.  It  is  succeeding  beyond 
all  expectation.  It  has  the  support  and  interest  of  officials, 
business  men  and  the  Government  itself.  It  is  becoming  a 
mighty  power  for  evangelism  with  the  most  mighty  men  of  a 
myriad  nation.  Not  only  without  hesitancy  does  India  ap- 
proach the  home  Associations,  but  also  with  a great  boldness 
and  confidence  that  they  will  rise  to  their  splendid  privilege 
in  sending  out  men  and  money  and  prayer  on  such  a scale 
that  the  world  shall  realize  that  the  religion  of  Christ  is  in- 
deed the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  for  all  mankind. 


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